Which pick-up came out on top?
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THE OFF-ROAD area proved a popular outpost at Commercial Motor Live, with visitors able to sample a range of the latest pick-up trucks across cross-country and off-road courses. Each of the pick-ups were assembled at Millbrook Proving Ground two days before Commercial Motor Live, where jury members of the International Pick-Up Award tested the vehicles across the facility.
Fiat’s Strada (right), a 4x2 light pick-up manufactured in Brazil and extremely popular outside of Europe, lined up alongside Ford’s new Ranger (middle), which demonstrated is superior electronics. Meanwhile, China’s Great Wall Steed (left) showed that even a budget 4x4 can keep pace with vehicles almost twice the price.
The Isuzu D-Max and Volkswagen Amarok tore through the muddy Millbrook course effortlessly, and the SsangYong Korando Sports, with its coil-sprung rear axle, showed a refined side to a pick-up truck’s ride comfort when the jury took it over the asphalt hill route.
With power ratings from 95hp to 197hp, engine capacities from 1.3 litres to 3.2 litres, five-speed manual gearboxes and eight-speed dual-clutch transmissions, coiland leaf-sprung rear axles, the abilities of each are contrasting. Factor in price, load restraints, payload capacity and cabin interiors, and the task of picking the best international pick-up for 2012 appears a lot harder.
The official results won’t be announced until November; but if the reaction of participants at Commercial Motor Live is anything to go by, it will be a close battle between the Isuzu D-Max and Ford Ranger.